Open Your Eyes
by newts
Summary: With eyes hidden and his cup of coffee currently forgotten on the small table next to him, anyone who didn't know Sirius might have had the impression that he was working really hard to finish Scaled Temptress: A History of Sirens Eating Wizards. But Remus Lupin was not just anyone.


_Rated M for future chapters, Reviews inspire me :) Thank you -R_

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Sirius Black was at it again. He was hunched over in the corner of the room with a book held firmly to his nose. The auburn armchair he sat in looked like it was eating him alive. With eyes hidden and his cup of coffee currently forgotten on the small table next to him, anyone who didn't know Sirius might have had the impression that he was working really hard to finish Scaled Temptress: A History of Sirens Eating Wizards. But Remus Lupin was not just anyone and he knew damn well what Black was doing—or rather, what he wasn't.

Remus quietly moved closer to his best friend. Once within earshot he hummed disapprovingly. Shocked out of his discreet nap, Sirius nearly jumped out of his seat, causing the history text to tumble to the ground.

"Gods, Moony! You didn't have to scare me like that."

Remus looked down. Hidden inside the text book had been a crossword puzzle.

"You managed to fall asleep while doing something you liked? That's worrisome, Pads." The werewolf gingerly picked up the puzzle, placing it on the table beside Sirius' coffee mug and forgotten quill. He held on to the history text, absentmindedly noting that the cover of the book was a shiny blue green; reminiscent of fish scales.

Remus would be lying if he said he wasn't beginning to worry about Sirius' sleeping patterns. For the last few days the sand-haired boy had run to the common room to rouse his fellow classmate before he missed dinner—and, as the animagus had told Remus multiple times, dinner was apparently his "favorite class."

Remus realized that Sirius had been rambling on about how "fit" Sirens were-clearly he hadn't read the title of the book, let alone the actual text-and he decided that he needed to make an effort to pull the conversation back to his concern with unhealthy sleeping habits. Not to mention their effect on the already sleep-deprived Marauders group. The last thing Remus needed was for his friends to start planning a summer trip to chase down mermaids with razor sharp teeth.

But the ache of worry growing in his stomach screeched to a halt when Sirius stood up and stretched. The very top of Black's hips shown as his scarlet sweater rode up, and his dark brown hair was messy in the back, where he had sunken into the plush armchair. It was sticking up at a weird angle. For one unrestrained moment, Remus watched him intently, considering patting the hair back into place. His hand seemed to move on its own, traveling out of his pocket and past his robes-

Sirius cleared his throat and Remus quickly patted down his own hair, hoping the animagus hadn't noticed what his true intentions had been.

"Moons maybe you shouldn't get lost in thought while looking at me. Miggery Woodswater might start to consider you competition. And she's mean as hell." Sirius winked at him.

Remus glanced away quickly, silently chiding himself for the mess up. He knew that he should get offended at the comment and then laugh it off. It was all according to The Straight Boy's Handbook. Which Sirius Black himself probably wrote, Remus thought cynically.

"Sirius, shut up. And get more sleep-at night."

Remus covered his embarrassment (and red face) by scolding Sirius and aiming the book at his head, but over-estimated the lunge as the taller man ducked. Sirius began to laugh, playfully pushing his best friend and gibbering on, "Correction! I shouldn't be worried about you staring at me all the time—you're meaner than even Migs is!"

"Ha. Ha. Lets go to dinner. I know James has probably been slapped by Lily without our watch."

Sirius made a noise indicating he was empathetic towards James' pain. "Again, then?"

"I wouldn't even blame her at this point."

"You know, Moony, I wouldn't either." Black snickered, indicating he wasn't being entirely truthful. "Can you blame James for always sending Evans flowers and chocolates, though? She's bloody cute."

At Sirius' comment, Remus felt a twinge of irritation. He chose to ignore it in honor of the rules written in the non-existent handbook he was attempting to uphold. Changing the subject quickly with a, "She's certainly smart to take the items from James anyway, despite her feelings on him—" he successfully derailed the conversation for the remainder of the walk to the Great Hall.


End file.
